Soon everybody was merrily playing.
It happened to-day, as it did every day, that the clock pointed much too soon to the time which meant the inexorable end of playing.

This usually happened when everybody was most eager and everything else was forgotten for the moment.

As soon as the clock struck, playing was discontinued, the evening song was sung and then followed the disappearance of the two little ones.

While the older children put away the toys, the mother went to the piano to choose the song they were to sing.
Maezli had quickly run after her.

"Oh, please, mama, can I choose the song to-day ?" she asked eagerly.
"Certainly, tell me which song you would like to sing best." Maezli seized the song-book effectively.
"But, Maezli, you can't even read," said the mother.